


Aftershock

by kankyuuhin



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Earthquakes, F/F, Friendship, Gen, Implied Relationships, M/M, Natural Disasters, Past Relationship(s), Slow Build, earthquake AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2015-02-28
Packaged: 2018-03-14 18:27:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3421022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kankyuuhin/pseuds/kankyuuhin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Based on the 1999 TV movie, Aftershock: Earthquake in New York.) An earthquake hits NYC and finds the characters in different situations having to deal with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shock

**Author's Note:**

> I am aware that this is an unlikely scenario and NYC has no earthquakes. Don't ask me to explain it. I'm just following the movie. If you haven't watched this, I do recommend it. Mind you, it's really not an amazing production, but natural disaster movies are my guilty pleasure. If you do watch it/have watched it in the past things should make a little more sense. 
> 
> Although there's no relationships in this chapter, the endgame is Jasico and so I'm listing it. More characters/relationships might come up in different chapters so I'll be editing in the process. Hope you enjoy~

It was a fine, clear Friday in the middle of March. He pushed the window over his bed open and stared at the New York traffic below. The breeze blowing was surprisingly warm for this time of the year, but Nico thought it was a good thing. He sighed heavily as part of him wished that he would have classes all day in college like usual, but didn’t. Not that he minded sleeping in for a change, but today he couldn’t find an excuse to escape certain obligations.

A knock on his door distracted him.

“Come on in,” he replied and turned to look as his older sister, Bianca, entered the room.

Bianca smiled at him and stopped a couple of steps into the messy room. Clothes and books took up most of the floor space. She frowned seeing him still in bed 

“Nico, why are you still in bed?” Bianca asked and stepped over some discarded comic books to reach his bed and sit next to him.

“Because I don’t have classes until 4PM today?” Nico tried to sound as though that was the only reason he had not gotten up yet. It was nearly noon. “Why are you here? It’s Friday," he asked. Bianca should probably be attending her own classes at the moment. Or perhaps should be at her part-time job.

She pushed back a strand of her dark hair. “Mom was afraid you would skip on your meeting with dad.” She paused. “And I guess she was right. Please, Nico, you have to try since he is trying too.”

Nico wanted to reply, like so many other times before, and tell her that their father is not really trying. He had stopped trying when he left them. Even though Nico did not remember the day he left, the man was a disaster and didn’t care about the damage he caused. First it was their mother. Later, on several occasions Bianca and Nico. Then another woman he made empty promises to. Nico knew he had a half-sister, Hazel, who lived with him. He didn’t want to think about the way he loved her more and took her in when her mother passed away. Part of him was jealous and hating him, but rather than jealousy he could only feel sadness towards Hazel who lost her mother.

It was three years ago when he showed up on their doorstep apologizing to Maria di Angelo and asking to meet with Bianca and Nico. Bianca agree to meet him and give him a chance. Nico wasn’t convinced that he changed. He couldn’t let go of his grudge just because his father suddenly showed up or decided to help support his children. Nico hated feeling indebted to him, but he was paying his tuition thanks to that.

Bianca and their mom had been pestering him for months to meet his father again, but for Nico it was the last thing on his to-do list. He half agreed when Bianca told him last week that it would only be lunch, that he would probably be busy with work and won’t be able to stay long anyway. Nico gave in, not because he wanted, but for Bianca. It meant a lot to her. 

“I already said I’ll go. But it doesn’t mean that I _want_ to go or that that I have to be _excited_ about it.” Nico finally said. Bianca smiled a little and put an arm around him.

“Thank you for agreeing. I promise that he’s really doing his best.”

“Says you.” Nico paused. “But we both know he will always like his daughters more.” He heard his own voice come out more bitter than he wished. Bianca’s eyes grew darker. She knew that Nico’s statement wasn’t false.

“He’s trying to do things right, so I’m only saying that you should give him a chance.” Bianca ruffled his hair and got up. “Just a chance.” She repeated. 

Nico sighed. “I’ve already given him a chance and he ended up disappointing you, remember? And he didn’t do it just _once_.” Nico recalled the times when Bianca told him to show up and he hadn't. For her archery tournaments, for her graduation, for a family dinner. “This is going to be the last time.”

Bianca pursed her lips together. “Alright.” She could only accept it. 

Nico stayed in his room until the clock read nearly 1PM before he got up, pulled on black jeans and jacket and left the flat saying a faint ‘see you later’ to Bianca and his mom.

 

 

He was glad that Hades picked a Chinese restaurant for this lunch meeting. Nico practically walked down the main street and into Chinatown 10 minutes later. He spotted him already sitting at a large table in the far end. The man was as tall and lean as he remembered him and was scrolling on a black tablet while eating. The only thing that seemed different was that, now, he was dressed in an expensive looking black suit and a silky red tie. Nico sat across him without saying anything and felt a rush of regret when his father's dark eyes raised to look at him and seemed to judge him. 

Nico frowned.

“I was beginning to think you wouldn’t show up," Hades said.

“Because I was five minutes late? Please, I’m not like you.” Nico replied. He promised Bianca to try, but he really didn’t want to. He saw Hades’ lip curl into a smirk.

“We’re both here because of Bianca,” he continued. “Let’s not let it go to waste. For her sake.” He raised his hand to signal the waiter, who came over promptly.

“I’m not staying for long. No need to order.” Nico said and the waiter bowed and walked away. He picked up the extra set of chopsticks in front of him and nibbled on the food already on the table. 

“Suit yourself, although I must say that the food here is excellent.” Hades continued eating as well.

“I’m aware.” Nico replied. “Can I go now?”

He heard Hades curse under his breath and set down his chopsticks. “What happened to trying to get along for your sister’s sake?”

“Hm, I tried. My opinion hasn’t changed, so… I think it will be a waste of time to stay.” Nico glared at him. 

“Nico, you’re my only son. Bianca wished us to be on good terms. I’m giving you a shot to convince me you’re not a waste of my time either. 

Nico stared at his father across the table as he said those words with such apathy that he could be talking about his taxes. No, he might be more passionate about that, a little voice in his head whispered. 

“Don’t worry. I’m aware you only love your daughters, dad. I have nothing to convince you of or prove to you.” 

“You’re right.” Hades nodded. He wasn’t even denying anything. Instead he reached inside his jacket and pulled out an envelope. “There you go.”

Nico’s eyes narrowed. For a moment he thought Hades was going to bribe him into 'getting along for Bianca's sake'. 

“This is this month’s alimony. Pass it to your mother, will you?”

Nico scoffed and grabbed the envelop, creasing it a little. “I guess this is all you’re good at these days. You made it big after abandoning us and then you remembered we exist.” He stood up. Hades’ eyes following him. “I have zero expectations, but you better not let Bianca down.”

He turned around and left the restaurant in a hurry, his hand wrapping around the envelope with the check that kept his home as it was. He gritted his teeth thinking of how unfair everything was. When Hades cheated and left things went from bad to worse until the di Angelo restaurant closed down and his mother had to find work elsewhere. Later, when Hades reappeared as a successful businessman in the jewelry business, they barely made ends meet every month, and his help was needed. 

Nico stuffed the envelope in his pocket and kept walking still angry with his father and now angry at himself too, for not being able to let it go like Bianca had. She wouldn't like to hear the news. He stopped by the mini market to get the sorbet ice cream his sister liked when he felt the ground rumble a little. He looked outside to see a large truck passing by and thought of all the times a bus or a truck went by his house and the building shook. The ground rumbled a second time as he walked towards the apartment building and Nico looked back over his shoulder waiting to see another large vehicle. But there was none. Confused, he looked around, yet no one seemed to have paid much attention to it. He brushed it off and turned the corner to his street.

Not a moment later the whole street seemed to be vibrating. The rumbling and shaking grew stronger every second making everyone freeze in place and look around surprised, confused and horrified as the vibrations got stronger under their feet. Nico froze in his tracks and he watched the pedestrians around him panic and yell.

_An earthquake?_  He questioned. Earthquakes don’t happen in Manhattan.

Nico looked up, barely having enough time to step aside as a shop’s sign swung off its hinges and plunged to the ground. He held his breath, his stomach tied into a knot of strange excitement and horror. People were running in all directions to protect themselves and the cars had stopped abruptly in the middle of the street crashing into one another. Several honks echoed from down the street.

Nico stayed close to the wall to avoid being swept by the wave of people, but he had to get back home. He dropped the shopping bag, sheltered his head with his arms and ran down the street. It was close. His mom and Bianca were still there. They were probably safe and they would know what to do. He bumped into a couple of people running in the opposite direction and got on the street thinking he could get there faster. Cars honked all around him and then the ground shifted under his feet; asphalt breaking and tilting sideways. Everything seemed too loud, the rumbling resembled a deafening storm instead. Nico slipped before he had the time to balance himself and crashed between two cars. He winced and cursed at the pain spreading in his arms and knees and hurried to cover his head again until the vibrations under him stopped.

He wasn’t sure if he lost consciousness for a moment or not. When he blinked again, Nico felt like the world was on mute and suddenly someone turned the volume on too loud. His ears rang. He pulled himself up, leaning against the car next to him as he took in his surroundings; debris and dust covered everything. He looked around disoriented for a moment. He could hardly recognize his street. He could hardly recognize his own—

He stared, eyes wide, at the apartment building further down.

His legs wobbled until he reached his home, now nothing but a huge pile of bricks and cement.

The two buildings next to what used to be his home had also half collapsed and the debris spread onto the road making it impossible to get closer.

Nico blinked, not believing that everything just collapsed in front of him. What about everyone inside? What about his mom and Bianca? What about... _This is a bad dream,_  he said to himself. His vision blurred as  his eyes watered from the dust in the air. If this was a nightmare Nico didn't seem to wake up. _This isn't a dream,_  realization hit him along with people trying to get away. He lost everything in a small moment. His stomach turned uncontrollably, his throat felt tight at the sight of disaster in front of him. He wanted to yell and scream, but couldn't. Nico dragged his feet towards the pile of bricks and let his knees give in. They couldn't  _really_ be gone, could they? 

He pushed the debris around him. Even if it took him forever to dig under the mass of bricks, he would find them. They would be fine. His sight blurred even more as he picked up brick after brick with shaky hands. 

I should have been there with them, he thought. 

The rumble on the ground started to return slowly; the buzzing becoming louder as voices yelled in panic for the second time. Nico stopped for a moment realizing the earthquake wasn't over yet and started picking up the debris faster and throwing in behind him. His hands were shaking and hurting but he had to dig faster, find them faster.  

Someone grabbed him by the shoulders with force and pulled him up. Nico wanted to fight against the stranger who dragged him away from the collapsed buildings and his family, but the grip around him was secure and no matter how much he flailed the other wouldn't let go. 

 

 

 

Jason made a bored face as his sister kept trying to distract him. She spoke loudly, she laughed loudly... and pulled faces at him. Jason cracked a smile too.

“Are you even listening to me, young man?” The male voice on the other end asked. Jason snapped out of it as his dad's voice echoed forbidding on the phone.

“Yes, I’m listening.” He lied, since he had not really listened to his babbling when Thalia was scrunching up her face to make him laugh.

“You need to sit and think of your priorities! Your step-mother was really disappointed when she heard that you’re choosing to stay there.” The deep voice said.

“Yes, I know.” Jason said. It was weird, but his step-mother always cared a lot more. 

“Now, you know there’s a place for you at the company when you graduate, even if you… proceed with Classics.” Jupiter sounded as dismissive as his wife. Thalia leaned to eavesdrop and rolled her eyes at him. 

“Thanks, but I don’t think I can be of help over there. Listen, I have to take the subway, but I’ll talk to you later.” Jason said quickly and hung up after his father sighed and said ‘alright’.

He turned to Thalia who raised her eyebrows sympathetically and patted his shoulder.

“Still telling you what to do, huh?” She wasn’t really asking. She knew everything anyway and had made the right decision to stay away from the family drama.

“You know, it’s hard to please a step-mother.” Jason replied. Thalia laughed.

“Hold up, Cinderella. You know you have about zero reasons to do anything that old hag Juno wants.” Thalia always got really passionate about this matter.

Their seven year age difference made it easy for her to look out for him, but she also left home when Jason was barely a teenager. Yet somehow he never held that against her. In the end, she was right and he trusted her the most.

“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry. I’d rather go to Rome than work for dad anyway.” Jason said.

“You still have to learn Italian, baby bro. Latin’s not enough!” She reminded him. He nodded. “I should go before I’m late. Reyna will kill me.” She added 

“Just go already.” Jason said, pushing her towards the stairs to the subway. He felt the rumbling under his feet. “That must be your train! Go, we’ll talk later.” He yelled over at her as Thalia waved and descended to take the train.

Jason sighed and stepped aside to think what he should do next. Leo’s flat was two blocks down. A surprise visit with some dim sum would definitely be welcome, he thought and made his way to his friend’s home.

He had just picked up the take-out when the restaurant shook around him. He heard clattering from the kitchen as things fell off the tables. Costumers screamed in surprise. Jason looked around confused, but vibrations weren’t stopping after a few seconds. The whole restaurant seemed to sway sideways as if it was on a ship. 

Jason was swept outside in the wave of people that rushed out of the restaurant in panic. The rumbling grew stronger. The feeling of the ground shaking under Jason’s feet was familiar, but very strange. Earthquakes don’t happen in New York, he thought. People screamed and yelled as they ran around for cover. Jason pulled his hands over his head to shield himself. He saw cars colliding and drivers yelling at each other. Store signs fell and smashed on the ground. He would be of no help if he yelled too, even if he wanted to help. And then it hit him

_Thalia_. She was underground. Probably on a train somewhere under the city. He felt his heart skip a beat. No, somehow Thalia would be alright. She was strong and he knew that she was going to be alright. If she knew anything, it was how to deal with crisis and unlikely situations. He felt his stomach clench as he ran quickly down the street to get to Leo’s place and make sure he’s alright.

Jason crashed against a man running down the street in panic clutching a briefcase. An explosion echoed, followed by a deafening sound. He turned around the corner and barely saw a series of buildings give in and fall like dominoes. He prayed no one was inside and stood still for a moment, lost in the crowd and disaster around him. He watched a boy walk slowly to one of the buildings that fell, his black clothes covered in a layer of white and grey dust. Then he fell to his knees and started digging and throwing away pieces of brick and rock. Jason felt his stomach turn. It wouldn't help to pick it up piece by piece...  

The ground started to shake again making the crowd panic. Jason turned to go towards Leo’s, but he turned around again and run towards the boy still picking debris frantically. The whole neighborhood was falling to pieces. He would get hurt sitting there. Jason hurried and grabbed the boy by the shoulders and lifted him to his feet. The boy waved his arms in protest and chanted 'no'. Jason held onto him tight and pulled him towards two buildings that were still standing strong. He hoped they would provide enough cover.

He didn't let go of the boy for a single moment. He pushed him to crouch down and covered their heads until the aftershock was over. 


	2. Aftershock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we see Leo, Piper, Reyna, Octavian, Silena, Percy and Thalia.

Leo groaned and opened his eyes. He was in pain. A lot of it. He cursed loudly and blinked a couple of times. He was lying on his back, still in the living room. Books, decorations and all sorts of things around the flat where on the floor. He recalled hearing the plates and glasses clutter in their cupboards out of nowhere earlier. When he heard thuds he grabbed the first thing he found, a broom, and went to the living room. He saw books and pictures falling on the floor. The whole building seemed to shake and sway without end. Confused Leo turned around. Then everything went black.

“Fuck this!” He cursed again and again as he tried to move.

The bookcase was crushing his legs, pressing him down. It was a stupid idea to get such a heavy furniture for his flat. He knew it was the wrong choice and yet he got it to store books and DVDs and the television set.

He grunted in pain and gritted his teeth. He didn’t even have his cellphone on him. It was back in the bedroom.

“Festus?” He called hoping his dog was alright. “Festus? Come here, buddy! Come on! Festus!” He called until he heard the familiar feet scratching the wooden floor as they hurried towards Leo’s voice. He sighed in relief when the small dog came to view and licked his face. Leo smiled at him and petted him.

“Hey, buddy. Are you okay?” He asked. Festus sniffed him and cried. “I know, I know.” Leo continued. “I was just tired and thought of lying down for a moment, you know.” He noted to the dog. Festus circled him and licked his other cheek. But Leo couldn’t get up. Even stretching to pet Festus was difficult enough.

The dog lay down next to him, lining his body with Leo’s and placed his head close to his. He cried once more until Leo petted him on the head several times and reassured him that he was fine.

Leo knew that he wasn’t. The pain from the weight on his legs only seemed to be increasing.

 

 

 

Piper climbed out from under her bed. She looked around at the mess in her room. Everything on the walls, including a part of it, had fallen off. The wallpaper was peeling off now; her roommate’s vast collection of make up products were scattered all over the floor and the mirror had broken in a million pieces when it crashed. Luckily, when the earthquake happened Piper had quickly slid under the bed for protection. She wasn’t even sure if it was real or she was, perhaps, dreaming but couldn’t risk it. She heard the girls outside and in other rooms scream as the sorority house shook for a while.

She picked up her phone. Drew should have been back an hour ago. Her roommate wasn’t a very nice person. Not always. Piper thought of her as selfish and conceited and always wearing too much make up. But, somehow, she was still worried for her. If Drew was out there right now, Piper thought, she was going to be utterly helpless. She found her contact and dialed. It rang once, twice, three times before the line went flat.

“Drew? Did you pick up?” She asked urgently. She couldn’t tell if the line went down or if her roommate answered the phone.

“I’m at school.” Drew coughed on the phone. “The cafeteria.” Her voice sounded distant, like the phone was too far away from her. Piper sighed in relief. Drew, at least, answered.

“I’m on my way. Are you okay?” She asked quickly.

Drew let out a sob. Of course, she wasn’t. Piper took a deep breath.

“I’ll be right there. Stay safe until then.” She added barely in time before the line cut off. 

Piper tried calling her again, but the signal was blocked. The line wouldn't go through. She was surprised it worked in the first place. 

Piper stepped over the broken glass carefully and looked outside to estimate the situation. The facade of the building across had completely fallen off. She saw several parts of the sorority house down in pieces as well. Scared and wondering how bad this really was, she looked at her phone and wished she could call her dad and other friends. To make sure everyone's alright, her options were limited and she couldn't sit and do nothing. Maybe she never liked Drew much, but she couldn’t leave her alone. And since Drew was at the university, Piper would find her.

She just hoped the university was still standing as well.

Piper quickly changed into her working out clothes and sneakers, hoping that since she used them for rock climbing they would do. She braided her hair to the side and picked a backpack. On her way out she was stopped by the girls. She was telling them what they could do to stay safe and that it's best to go to an open area when the ground rumbled and shook for the second time. The girls let out a scream and huddled together. They asked her not to leave them alone, but Piper assured them they would be fine. The house was strong and held up during the first earthquake and others would also gather in nearby open areas seeking help.

"Everything will be alright," she repeated, this time to reassure herself too.

 

 

 

Piper was already walking for over an hour across Manhattan towards the university where Drew claimed to be trapped in. It was a good thing she was in the cafeteria which happened to be on the top floor. Drew was, hopefully, alright. Just… in shock. Whenever she tried to call her again, the line wouldn't go through. People around her cursed and yelled at their phones for the lost connection, the lack of internet and despair. Parents yelled for their children and most of them were running towards schools. Piper passed a half-collapsed high school. The fire truck was at the end of the street, but couldn’t get through all the debris on the road. Several fire fighters were setting a perimeter around the building and telling parents that things would be alright.

“Piper?!”

She turned to the familiar voice and sighed. Reyna, her girlfriend until several months ago, stood across the road. She was covered in dust and scratches across her legs and arms and face, but she seemed alright. Reyna ran towards her and hugged her tightly.

“You’re alright!” Reyna breathed and squeezed her tighter. Piper patted her back and agreed.

“I’m alright. I'm alright.” She repeated. When Reyna let go there were tears in her eyes. Piper raised a hand to wipe them away. “Are you okay?” She asked.

“Yeah.I was lucky.” Her voice trembled a little. “Where are you going?"

“I need to get to my roommate. She’s stuck at the university and you remember Drew… she’s not okay.” Piper said. 

“I remember her.” Reyna said, quickly turning at the sound of debris being moved around for the fire truck to get through. She would turn around at the smallest sound. 

“You need to stay somewhere safe.” Piper told her. “An earthquake in NYC was unlikely, but it happened. There could be more aftershocks.” 

Reyna looked at her desperately.

“Let me go with you.” She said. “I won’t get in your way. I just… I was supposed to meet someone…”, her eyes darkened. “She must have been underground when it happened.”

Piper’s eyes widened. Reyna’s friend, whoever it was, probably had not made it. She imagined that it would be easy for a train to get off-track with a strong earthquake. She silently hoped that everyone underground was OK. 

“Please, Piper?" Reyna asked again. "You always know what to do." 

“So do you.” Piper said. “But alright. If you want to come, I won’t stop you.”

She nodded. “It feels safer. I don’t think anyone here knows how to deal with all this.”

“I don't think anyone ever does.” Piper said and started walking again, this time with Reyna next to her.

The fire truck was half-way to the school building now. Piper looked back at it one more time before they turned around the corner. 

 

 

 

Thalia groaned in pain. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the dim light. Her whole body ached. She turned and sat up to look around. It felt like a second ago when the train started shaking uncontrollably, loud thuds echoing everywhere like a storm. Everything blacked out after that. She saw the thin blond guy with the sour face who seemed to be regaining his consciousness too. At the end of the carriage, she spotted a dark haired guy helping a girl up. She was crying. 

Did the train go off-track? Was it a terrorist attack? Her head started hurting as more questions came up.

“Is everyone okay?” She asked loudly across the carriage.

The guy from the other side looked over. “Sort of.” He said.

“Define okay? Does this look okay to you?” The blond guy whined. Blood was covering half his face. He smudged it in an attempt to wipe it off and waved his bloodied sleeve at her.

Thalia got up and looked around again. It was just the four of them. No one else was moving. Thalia looked away and swallowed hard. Her throat felt dry. 

“Okay would be if you haven’t broken any bones.” She turned to him. “It would be if you are still alive and well enough to get out of this train and find a way above ground.” She knew her voice was harsh, but she was frustrated and angry and, if she had to admit, scared. But she wouldn't give in. 

The guy scoffed and was about to say something, but was interupted. 

“No broken bones.” The dark haired guy said. “A terrible concussion, however, we have that.” The girl next to him held his arm tightly. 

“I’m Thalia.” She introduced herself.

“Percy.” The guy replied. The girl was still holding onto his arm for support. She sniffled.

“I’m Silena.” Her voice was small, but soft and much more calm than how she looked.

Thalia looked at the last person. The blond guy with that annoying face. She didn’t know why she was so annoyed at him. He had the right to be grumpy and upset and afraid.

“I’m Octavian.” He finally said.

Thalia sighed. “Great. Now that we know each other, let’s get out of here.”

Percy pointed at a couple broken windows further away. They would still have to jump down on the tracks, but there was no way they could open the door when it was bent that way. The emergency lights of the tunnel provided a decent amount of light too. Percy helped Silena climb down first. He followed her jumping out of the window with more force than necessary. His knees buckled a little with the sudden shock and he cursed.

“Hey, be careful. We’re all injured enough already.” Thalia called out. Percy laughed it off.

“I’m alright. It’s a shorter jump down than it seems.” He stepped aside.

Thalia looked around at Octavian.

“Do you want to go first or should I?” She asked and wasn’t sure if Octavian smirked or that was just his unpleased face.  _Weird._  

“I’ll go.” He said and pushed her aside a little to climb down the window. He ended up falling and crashing down on his back. Then cursed loudly for several moments and groaned. Thalia looked out the window unimpressed and then at Percy and Silena further away.

“Percy, a little help, please?” She requested. Octavian looked up at her as she was balancing on the window.

“Don’t you dare jump on me!” He yelled.

Thalia eye-rolled as Percy came and pulled Octavian from the collar of his shirt. The blond fought against him and demanded to be let go of. In any other situation, Thalia would have laughed, but she just jumped down and dusted herself.

“Which way should we go?” Percy asked.

“We can’t go back, the tunnel’s blocked.” Silena said. She was right. The rest of the train was crushed under piles of rock and cement. Thalia tried not to think of the people riding the same train as them. Her stomach turned. 

“We could go ahead and then cut through another tunnel. There’s bound to be a way that isn’t blocked. Or an emergency exit for workers.”

Silena nodded. Percy agreed. 

“Who died and put you in charge?” Octavian asked. His eyebrows furrowed.

All three stared at him.

“Are you fucking serious?” Percy asked. 

“That really wasn’t funny.” Silena agreed, her face grim.

“Oh come on! The tunnel crashed. We’re lucky to be alive and we should move on. Why should _she_ be in charge?” Octavian argued.

Thalia didn’t wait before pushing him against the wall.

“Listen here, punk. You’re lucky to be alive, yes. You don’t have to be a jerk about those who weren’t lucky. I made a suggestion. If you don’t like it you’re free to go another way.” Thalia said through gritted teeth. Octavian put his hands up in surrender without saying anything. 

Thalia let go and stepped away from him. 

“We should check if anyone else made it too.” Silena suggested.

“You’re right. We can check the rest of the carriages as we go along.” Percy agreed. 

Thalia nodded in agreeement and followed Percy and Silena down the tunnel. Octavian followed moments later.


End file.
